Fornaroli dumps City for Glory

Bruno Fornaroli will join Perth Glory with Melbourne City’s banished superstar agreeing to head west next season.

Bruno Fornaroli will sit out the rest of the A-League season with Melbourne City. Picture: AAP

Perth Glory will officially be the next destination of Bruno Fornaroli, with Melbourne City’s banished superstar agreeing to head west next season.

It’s understood the sensational switch was finalised yesterday, setting up a mouth-watering City-Glory rivalry next season.

While a January trade for Andy Keogh collapsed, negotiations continued with Fornaroli, who signed a multi-year deal starting in June. It’s understood Fornaroli, 31, will become a marquee player for Glory next season.

Sydney FC and Adelaide United were interested but the Uruguayan’s preference was Glory.

Fornaroli has continued training with City since he was sensationally banished by coach Warren Joyce in late October, scoring a goal in what will be his last City appearance. City’s record goalscorer has told club officials he is happy to sit out the rest of the season and join Glory once his contract expires on May 31.

It leaves City in a bind, with the deal to sign Socceroos striker Jamie Maclaren on the verge of collapse, with his Scottish club Hibernian looking unlikely to release him. Hibs had all but agreed to release Maclaren from his season-long loan deal from Germany’s Darmstadt, but the sudden departure of manager Neil Lennon has seen the club back-pedal.

City were hoping to unveil Maclaren and a visa attacker in the next 24 hours. They were mulling over two visa options, one of whom was West Brom’s Irish winger Wes Hoolahan.

They negotiated a back-ended deal for the Socceroo to safeguard them from the lack of marquee spot availability in light of the Fornaroli standoff.

But the Maclaren situation, which has only unfolded in the last 48 hours, leaves City scrambling with less than 36 hours to go before the A-League transfer deadline closes.

Hoolahan, 36, signed a short-term deal with Championship club West Brom that ends today.

He made eight appearances for West Brom since signing in September, the last of which was last Saturday’s scoreless FA Cup draw with Brighton.

Hoolahan spent 10 years at Norwich City, including four in the Premier League. He also played 43 games for the Irish national team between 2008-17, scoring three goals.

Fornaroli, whose City contract was due to expire in May, has scored 54 goals in 76 games in all competitions.

He scored five goals in 10 games last season after returning from a broken ankle.

Meanwhile, Western Sydney coach Markus Babbel has warned struggling goalkeeper Vedran Janjetovic he has to shape up or face being dropped.

After talking with Janjetovic this week, Babbel is likely to stick with the 31-year-old for tomorrow night’s clash against Newcastle but has told the goalkeeper the onus is now on him.

“The pressure is on now, so it’s also good to see from me how can you handle this pressure,” Babbel said, recounting his conversation with Janjetovic.

Additional reporting AAP